Refrigerating apparatus



Feb. 10, 1931. H. B. HULL REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov.

3 11 M I M, M. r. 5. m fi 1; T fi V Elfin m .J 1L a M T r x kfi W E m a a n 3 W /vJ[AHHU\I//// A w IUUEJYTZTT" Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY B. HULL, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FRIGID- AIR/E CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BEFBIGERATING APPARATUS Application filed November 15, 1923, Serial No. 675,006. Renewed April 17, 1928.

This invention relates to mechanical refrigerators and particularly to the cabinet construction thereof and the relation and arrangement of various ducts and pipes.

In mechanical refrigerators the cold compartment is ordinarily completely enclosed by a substantial heat insulating wall and the heat absorbing fluid is led to and from this cold compartment by means of ducts which necessarily must pass through this heat insulating wall. Also it is often desired to have other ducts passing into this cold compartment, such as a ductleading from a thermostat device Within said compartment to a thermostat operated device without said compartment.

This invention has for one of its objects the grouping together of a number of these ducts leading into the cold compartment where they pass through the insulating wall whereby the number of holes necessary to be cut through said wall is reduced.

A more specific object is to utilize the drain pipe, which serves to drain said compartment, for the passageway through said wall for certain of the ducts leading to or from said compartment, whereby no extra holes are necessary for said ducts.

Another object is to prevent the freezing up of water in said drain pipe by passing through said drain pipe a duct which ordinarily contains a fluid at a temperature above 32 F.

Another object is to provide improved means for securing in place the inner lining of insulating walls.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form. of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. lshows a vertical section through a refrigerator cabinet embodying one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 of Fig. 1 and shows the heat insulating wall be tween two doors of the cabinet.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, like or similar reference characters refer to like or similar parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 10 designates the cabinet frame which is ordinarily of wood construction. The lower compartment 11 of the cabinet contains the refrigerating medium circulating machine 12, which in this case consists of a sulphur dioxide compressor, condenser, and electric motor for operating the same constructed similarly to that shown in the patent to Bechtold et al No. 1,478,421 issued on De cember 25, 1923. The entire cold compartmeut above the partition 13 is completely enclosed by a heat insulating wall 15, which preferably consists of a thick wall of ground cork held together by a suitable bond and an inner metal lining 16. In the refrigerator illustrated in the drawings, the cold compartment is divided up into a heat absorbing or evaporator compartment 20 and a food compartment 21. The heat absorbing compartment 20 is located in the upper part of the cold compartment and contains a cooling unit herein shown as an evaporator which is indicated in its entirety by numeral 22. This evaporator 22 comprises suitable valves and coils for evaporating the liquid so, into a vapor and a brine tank surrounding these evaporating coils which in turn absorb heat from the air circulating through the heat absorbing compartment 20. Liquid S0 is led through pipe 23 from thecompressor 12 to the evaporator 22 and the S0 vapor is returned" to the compressor through pipe 24.

Preferably the evaporator compartment 20 is heat insulated from the food compartment 21 by means of a partition wall 25, but which partition wall is provided with suitable openings (one of which is shown at 26) which cause cold air to circulate through compartments 20 and 21 by convection. It is thus provided that the moisture in the air in the food compartment 2.1.iscondensed out as the air circulates through the evaporator compartment 20' since compartment 20 is maintained at. a substantially lower temperature than the.compartment 21. In other pipe 23 leading from compressor 12 to evap orator 22 to pass therethrough. The advanta es ained by this construction are twofold. Since the liquid SO in pipe 23 is above 32 F., the drip water in pipe will be prevented from freezing up solid and stopping the drain. Also no extra holes are re- ?uired to be cut through the insulating walls or pipe 23 and no sealing around pipe 23 where it passes through the insulating wall is required. It is thus possible to easily insert a flexible pipe 23 as a single tube having no joints, and to replace the same at any time without having to break a sealed connection where it passes through the insulatingr wall.

his invention also contemplates using the drain pipe 30 as a passageway through the insulating wall for any other ducts or pipes which it is desired to lead into or out of the cold compartment. In the drawings the duct 31 leads from a thermostatic device (not shown) in the compartment 20 to the thermostat operated device 32 in the lower compartment 11. In this particular case the thermostat is a small bulb of methyl chloride inserted in the brine tank and the device 32 is an electric switch operated by the expansion of a metal bellows. As the temperature of the brine rises the methyl chloride passes from a liquid to a gas and the pressure of this gas is carried to the metal bellows by the duct 31. At a predetermined temperature the pressure becomes suiiicient to operate theelectric switch which closes the circuit for the motor and starts the compressor 12.

If desired the return pipe 24 for the SO: gas may also be led through the drain pipe 30. But since the low temperature of pipe 24 will tend to freeze the water in the drain 30 it is preferred to lead this pipe 24 through a separate conduit 34 which may be perinanently sealed in place extending through the insulating walls. The flexible pipe 24 may then be inserted through the conduit 34 or replaced at any time without removing the conduit 34 from its permanently fixed posi tion.

A preferred location for the pipes 30, 31 and 23 and the conduit and pipe 24 and 34 respectively is at the front side of compartment 21. The lining 16 is formed with an inwardly bulged portion 43 at that portion of the front wall between the openings for the doors 40 and 41 which cooperate to form a passage between compartments 11 and 20. Pipes 3U. 31 and 23 are located within this passage. The section 42 of the insulating wall lying between the two doors and within said passage is made thick enough to accommodal c all of these pipes and have a certain thickness of insulating material around the outside thereof. The metal lining portion 43 of thissection 42 is preferably bent inwardly along its vertical edges 44, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 and the edges of linings 16 are bent outwardly. The linings are held in place against the stationary cabinet frame by the small metal clamp 45 which, when screwed into position, bears against the lining. Strips 46 ofsuitable heat insulation material are preferably arranged in both sides of the turned in edges 44 to more thoroughly insulate the lining 43 from the. outside temperature. Thus the inwardly directed portion 43 of the lining 16 forms an inwardly directed recess between the lining 16 and the outer wall of the refrigerator for the reception of portions of the pipes 23, 30, 31 and 34.

One manner of assembling the cabinet, is to secure entire lining 16 to the front wall of the cabinet by the clamps 45. Since the portion 43 is bulged inwardly, ready access may he had to the upper and lower portion of the inwardly-bent edges 44 by which the said lining portion 43 is attached to the front by the clamps 45. The insulating walls 15 and 25 are next placed in position. The lining 16 may then be placed in position with the pipe 30 attached thereto, or the pipe 30 may be inserted separately after the lining 16 has been placed in position. And after the pipe 34 is placed in position. ground cork, or the like. with a suitable binding therefor may be tamped in position from the bottom of the cabinet before the wall 13 is placed in position.

Vith this type of lining securing means,

the linings can be readily secured and the cork insulation can be easily fitted. The joints at the linings and cabinet frames are usually sealed with a sealing compound and with the present type lining clamp, the quantity of sealing compound can be minimized and can be readily applied.

lVhile the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed. constitutes a preferred form. it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all. coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having an evaporator compartment containing an evaporator and a second compartment containing mechanism for withdrawing refrigerant fluid from the evaporator and for condensing said fluid. a wallbetween saidcompartments, a drain pipe leading through said wall, a duct conveying fluid from said mechanism to said evaporator, said duct passing through said wall within said drain pipe.

2. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having an evaporator compartment containing an evaporator and a second compartment containing mechanism for withdrawing refrigerant fluid from theevaporator and for condensing said fluid, a wall between said cont partmcnts, a drain pipe leading through said wall, a duct conveying fluid from said mechanism to said evaporator, means within said evaporator compartment and extending within said second compartment, said means being responsive to the condition of the evaporator for controlling said mechanism, said duct and means passing through said wall within the drain pipe.

3. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having an evaporator compartment containing an evaporator and a second compartment containing mechanism for withdrawing refrigerant fluid from the evaporator and for condensing said fluid, a wallbetween said compartments, a drain pipe leading through said wall, means within said evaporator compartment and extending within said second compartment, said means being responsive to the condition of the evaporator for controlling said mechanism, said means passing through said wall within the drain pipe.

4. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having a cooling compartment, a wall therefor, a cooling unit within the compartment, a drain pipe from said compartment leading through said wall, a fluid-circulating apparatus, and a duct connecting said unit and apparatus, said duct passing through said wall in heat exchanging relation with the drain pipe.

5. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having an evaporator compartment and a food compartment below the evaporator compartment, a wall surrounding said food compartment, a Water drain pipe for said evaporator compartment leading through said wall, a refrigerating apparatus including an evaporator within the evaporator compartment and mechanism for Withdrawing refrigerant fluid from the evaporator and for condensing said fluid, a fluid conveying duct connecting said evaporator and mechanism and passing through said wall, said duct passing through said wall within the drain pipe.

6. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having an evaporator compartment and a food compartment below the evaporator compartment, a' wall surrounding said food compartment, 21 water drain pipe for said evaporator compartment leading through said wall, a refrigerating apparatus including an evaporator within the evaporator compartment and mechanism for withdrawing refrigerant fluid from the evaporator and for condensingsaid fluid, and means for controlling same, and means extending from the evaporator compartment and through said wall and connectin said mechanism, said last means passing through said wall within the drain pipe.

7. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having a front wall provided with openings, a food compartment having a lining attached to the front wall and formed so as to cooperate with that portion of the front wall located between the openings to provide a passage from below to above the food compartment, an evaporator compartment within the cabi net above the food compartment, refrigerating apparatus including an evaporator within the evaporator compartment and including mechanism for withdrawing refrigerant fluid from the evaporator and for condensing said fluid, and means for controlling said first means, a water drain for the evaporator compartment passing through. said passage, and means within said evaporator and connected with said mechanism, said last means extending through said drain pipe.

8. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having an evaporator compartment; a wall; a drain pipe leading through said wall; and a refrigerating apparatus including an evaporator within the compartment, and mechanism for withdrawing refrigerant fluid from the evaporator and for condensing said fluid, and control means therefor, and means extending from'the evaporator compartment and through said wall and connecting said mechanism, said last means passing through said wall within the drain pipe.

9. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having a cooling compartment, a wall therefor, a cooling unit within the compartment, a drain pipe for said compartment leading throughsaid wall, a fluid circulating apparatus, and a duct connecting said unit and apparatus, said duct passing through said wall within the drain pipe.

10. In a mechanical refrigerator, a cabinet having a cooling compartment, a wall therefor, a cooling unit within said compartment, a lining for said compartment, an inwardly directed portion of the lining forming an inwardly directed recess between saidlining and said well, a fluid circulating apparatus, and a duct connecting said unit and apparatus, a portion of said duct being housed within said recess.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

HARRY HULL. 

